Well bore angle detector and recorder



`March 28, 1933. w. G. Bonomi 1,902,828

WELL BORE ANGLE DETECTOR AND RECORDER Filed Aug. 27 1930 ATTORN EY Patented Mar. 2s, i933 1,902,828

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM G. BOTTOM, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA WELL BORE ANGLE DETECTOR AND RECORDER Application led August 27, 1930. Serial No. 478,121.

My invention relates to apparatus for deand being internally threaded on its upper termining the inclination of well holes and end as indicated at 7 for receiving the rehas for its principal objects to provide a deduced, externally threaded end 8 of a cap vice of this character that is sufliciently Comscrew 9, provided with an outwardly directed pact to readily pass through the smallest flange 10 adapted to abut the end of the 50 tool joints, whereby the degree of inclinahousing when threaded therein. tion of the hole may be permanently recorded Provided on the outer end of the cap screw on blanks that may be easily read and filed is a strap 11 for anchoriiig'a ring 12, whereby for future reference, and whereby the recordthe housing may be supported from a cable ing operation may be deferred until the in- 13 used for lowering the housing into the 55 struiiient has been lowered to a. predetermined drill pipe. point in or t-o the bottom of the well hole. Means supported within the housing for In accomplishing these and other objects recording the inclination of the well hole of my invention I have provided improved includes a container 14 preferably formed of 15 details of structure, the preferred form of glass and seated in the housing adjacent thc 60 which is illustrated in the accompanyingl pointed end 6. The open upper end of the drawing, wherein: container is adapted to receive the neck por- Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section of tion 15 of a. cylindrical body 16 extending a portion of drill pipe, showing an inclinom throughout the remaining portion of the eter suspended therein. housing; a sealing ring 17 surrounding the 55 Fig. 2 is a. central longitudinal section of neck portion of the body serving to securely the inclinoineter in inclined position, illusconnect the container to the body 16. trating particularly the mechanism for per- The cylindrical body includes a central manently recording the degree of inclination bore 18 terminating at its lower end adj arent of the device. the neck portion 15.y and atits upper end in Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a switch an enlarged bore 19, thereby forming a lateleinent forming a part of the device. eral shoulder 20.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view, in section, of A concentric hearing opening Q1 in the a portion of the iUClinOmeteI hOUSlQSI Pa'- neck 15 is counter-boredl at its upper and lowticularly illustrating vthe record carrier and er ends as indicated at 2Q and Q3 for respec- 7 a record supported thereon. t tively seating a thrust bearing' Q4 and a lower Fg- 5 1S WGW: U1 Cel'tml Verlcal SQCQH, bearing 25 to facilitate rotation of a shaft of a portion 0f; the 0311191 ShOWmg. a' hquld 26, extending through the opening 9.1 and containing Welghfhaving a head 27 adapted to rotate on the Referring more in detail to the drawing thrust bearing 80 t (itesm-Hates a portlonp a We-u hole being The lower end of the shaft is threaded as drilled by a rotary drilling rig including d. t d at 99 for receivnq the head 30 drill pipe sections 2 joined together by drill u; ma l e. Collars 3. o a cai rier 31, secuie y maintained in assem- An inclinometer 4 for determining the Q bled relation on the shaft by a lock nut 85 gree of inclination from vert-ical at which a integral Wlth the head 30 und dlve'glng well hole is being drilled includes a cylindri- Outwadly therefrom 31'@ arms 33 Connec'ted Cal housing 57 having a pointed lower and at their .lower end s to a cross bar 34C having 6 to facilitate lowering of the housing gude plus 35 aCliment' lts @Uds md a bolt through the constricted ends of pipe sections7 36 extending transversely through its cen- 90 ter for vertically supporting a record plate The record plate is preferably rectangular in shape and is provided near its upper end with a, central opening 38 for receiving the bolt 36, and with aligning end openings 39 to engage the guide pins when mounted on the carrier.

A keeper bar 40, having openings 41 and 42 aligning respectively with the openings 38 and 39 of the plate, is mounted on the carrier adjacent the plate and is retained in firm relation with the carrier and plate" by a nut 43 threaded on the bolt 36.

To automatically rotate the 'carrier so that the flat faces of the plate will always be in transverse relation to the line of inclination, a weight arm 44 extending to one side of the carrier is formed on the head 30 and is preferably provided with a chamber 45 for containing fluid such as mercury 46 poured into the chamber through an opening 47, normally closed by a plug screw 48, the object in providing the liquid in the weight being to assist in overcoming rotational resistance offered the shaft 26 so that the record obtained will be as accurate as possible. V

In order to record permanently on the plate the degree of inclination of the well hole a sutlicient amount of liquid 49 is sup plied to partly submerge the plate, and a conductor 50 extending into the liquid is led upwardly in the container through a longitudinal opening 51 in the cylindrical body 16, and is connected to a switch element or inharmonic circuit-breaker described in detail. y

Seated inthe central bore 18 of the cylindrical body is a pair of battery cells 53 such as are commonly used in Hash lights and the like, a contact bearing 54 on the head 27 of the shaft 26 supportingthe lower end of the bottom cell.

Secured to the shoulder 20 by screws 55 is an insulating plate 56 having an opening 57 for receiving the conductor 51, and inserted between `the upper cell and the insulating.,r plate is a coil spring 58 for urging the battery cells into engagement with each other and with the head 27.

A pair of stationary contact posts 59 and 60 are fixed in sockets 61 in the upper surface of the insulating plate by screws 62, a single arm 63 extending laterally from the upper end of the arm 59, and a cross arm 64 being secured to the upper end of the post 60.

Fixed in like manner to thev insulating plate by screws 65 and in alignment-with the stationary posts are resilient contact members 66, 67 and 68, each terminating at its upper end in a weighted portion 69. T he resilient contact posts comprise spring blades of unequal lengths, resulting in an inh'armonic vibratory action of the blades while the housing is being moved, thus preventing come to absolute rest.

52 presently to be closure of the circuit until the housing has The conductor 50 leading through the opening 57 in the insulator plate is attached, as indicatedat 70, to the blade 66 and a conductor 71 attached to the plate 68 is led through an opening 72 in the plate and soldered to the spring 58 to complete the circuit when the switch is closed.

Assuming an inclinometer to be constructed and assembled asI described, the process of lowering the housing in the string of drill pipe and of recording the degree of inclination wouldbe as follows: v 1

The inclinometer housing is attached to the rope or cable 13 and is lowered into thedrill pipe, preferably after each addition of a new drill pipe section to the pipe string.

Due to the vibratory action of the blade springsthe circuit through the switch, battery, plate, liquid and conductor is prevented from being closed while the housing is being lowered into the pipe string.

However, as soonI as the housing has reached the bottom of the hole and has come to complete rest, the circuit is closed and theelectro-plating of the record plate in direct relation to the liquid level in the glasscontainer takes place, only a few minutes being krequired for this process.

The housin is then elevated and removed from the dri pipe and disassembled, and the plate bearing the record of the condition, of the well hole is detached from the 'carrier and is replaced by a blank plate.

Because of the relatively thin, flat formation of the record plates, they may be conveniently filed for future reference.

The device as described, will readily pass through constricted ends of the smallest drill pipe sections commonly used in drilling oil wells, and since the entire mechanismv for recording the plate is contained within the inclinometer housing an eliicient and economical device is produced for providing the driller with a constant record of the condition of the well hole in regard to any deviation from vertical at which the hole may be drilled.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a housing, a carrier rotatably mounted in the housing, a plate supported by the carrier, means for recording on the plate the degree of inclination of the housing, and means responsive to vibration of the housing for deferring said recordin process until the housing has come to comp ete rest.

2. In a device of the character described, a housing, a carrier rotatably mounted in the housing, a plate supported by the carrier, means contained in the housing for recording onv the plate the degree of inclination of the housin and means responsive to vibration of the ousing for deferring said recording process until the housing has come to complete rest.

3. In a device of the character described, a housing, a blank in the housing, means contained in the housing for recording on the blank the degree of inclination of the housing, means in the housing to defer said recording process until the housing has come to complete rest, including a circuit, stationary contacts, and inharmonic springs adapted to engage said contacts for closing the circuit.

4. In a device of the character described, a housing, liquid in the lower end of the housing, a blank in the housing and extending into the liquid, an electric circuit in the housing including the blank and liquid, and a switch including stationary contacts and inharmonic springs adapted to engage said contacts for closing the circuit to electro-plate the portion of the blank extending into the liquid.

5. In a device of the character described, a housing, liquid in the lower end of the housing, a carrier rotatably mounted in the housing, a plate supported by the carrier and extending into the liquid, a weight on the carrier to maintain the plate in transverse relation to the line of inclination, an electric circuit including the plate and liquid, and a switch including stationary contacts and in-v harmonic springs adapted to engage said contacts for closing the circuit to electro-plate the portion of the plate extending into the liquid.

6. In a device of the character described, a housing, liquid in the lower end of the housing, a carrier rotatably mounted in the housing, a vertical plate supported by the carrier and extending into the liquid, a liquid-containing weight on the carrier to maintain the plate in transverse relation to the line of inclination, an electric circuit including the plate, liquid and a battery in the housing, and a switch including stationary contacts for closing the circuit to electro-plate the portion of the plate extending into the liquid.

7. In a device of the character described, a housing, a blank in the housing, electroplating means including an electric circuit in the housing for recording on the blank the degree of inclination of the housing, and an inharmonic circuit breaker in said circuit to defer plating of said blank until the device has come to rest.

In testimony whereof I aflx my signature.

' WILLIAM G. BOTTOM. 

